Rocky Mountain High

NFL | Monday Night Football

Steelers wallop Broncos to regain first-place tie; Bengals are next

DENVER (AP) — Rarely has playing it safe paid off so well for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Tyrone Carter started in place of safety Ryan Clark as a precaution Monday night and made the big play that sparked the Steelers to their fifth straight win, taking the first of his two interceptions 48 yards for a touchdown in Pittsburgh’s 28-10 win over the Denver Broncos.

Clark nearly died following a game in Denver two years ago because of a rare blood disorder that is aggravated by playing in high altitude, so Steelers coach Mike Tomlin decided to hold him out of the game.

He said he didn’t want to risk Clark’s health or burden his teammates and family members with worry.

Carter capped his night with his second interception with 15 seconds left, and Clark, dressed in charcoal sweats and a smile on the sideline, jumped up and down in celebration.

Hines Ward caught two short touchdown passes from Ben Roethlisberger, including one in which he hauled in a pass in the flat and hurdled cornerback Champ Bailey on his way into the end zone, a final indignity for Denver that capped the scoring with 1:22 remaining and emptied the stadium.

Rashard Mendenhall rumbled over the Broncos for 155 yards on 22 carries as the Steelers (6-2) handed Denver its second straight loss after the Broncos opened the season 6-0 under rookie coach Josh McDaniels.

Carter’s first interception return gave Pittsburgh a 7-3 halftime lead even though the Steelers had generated just three first downs and were outgained 183-54 in the first half.

An ecstatic Clark was among the first players to swarm Carter, the first defender to pick off a Kyle Orton pass all season.

The Steelers had two big drives thwarted by turnovers.

With Pittsburgh at the Broncos 15 late in the third, Roethlisberger was intercepted in the end zone by Andre’ Goodman on a pass intended Ward.

Earlier, Roethlisberger was hit from behind by Kenny Peterson, the ball flying free. Broncos rookie Robert Ayers scooped it up off the turf and ran 54 yards for a score.

It was the longest scoring fumble return by a Broncos rookie in team history.

The Steelers surged right back, finding an offensive rhythm that was lacking in the first half when they had only 54 total yards. Roethlisberger led the team on a four-play, 80-yard scoring drive that culminated with Ward’s catch in the back of the end zone. It was his third touchdown of the season.

Orton tried to avoid the Steelers rush early in the second quarter and deliver a pass to rookie running back Knowshon Moreno over the middle. But the ball sailed high and Carter caught it in stride, no one touching him on his way to the end zone.

One of the first players to greet Carter on the sideline after the play was Clark, who celebrated with his replacement.

This was Orton’s first interception by a defender all season. He was picked off once before, but it was by wide receiver Randy Moss at the end of the first half against New England on Oct. 11.

Following the turnover for a touchdown, the Broncos regrouped and drove down the field. Facing fourth-and-5 at the Pittsburgh 39, Denver converted when Brandon Stokley hauled in an 8-yard pass.

But left guard Ben Hamilton was flagged for holding James Harrison, negating the play.

Instead, the Broncos had to punt.

The Broncos’ defense held up their end in the first half, bottling up the Steelers’ offense. Pittsburgh managed just three first downs.

Matt Prater connected on a 40-yard field goal on Denver’s opening drive, giving the Broncos a 3-0 lead.

It was the first time this season that Denver has come away with points on its first possession.